One Word to Transform Your 2025: Here’s How to Find Yours

It started with a simple question from a friend: “How do you do this every year? How do you pick a word to guide you?”

She caught me off guard because this process—choosing a word for the year—has become second nature to me. But as we talked, I realized that it’s not something everyone does. And yet, it’s been one of the most powerful tools for setting the tone, guiding my decisions, and creating a sense of alignment for the year ahead.

If you’ve never chosen a word for the year, or if you’re curious about how to do it more intentionally, this guide is for you.

Why Choose a Word Instead of Resolutions?

Resolutions often feel rigid, binary, and overwhelming. You either stick to them perfectly, or you don’t—and by mid-January, they’re often forgotten.

Choosing a word, on the other hand, creates a theme for your year. It’s not about perfection; it’s about intention. Your word becomes a compass, gently steering you back to your priorities when life gets busy. It’s flexible, it evolves with you, and it sets the tone for how you want to be in the year ahead.

How to Find Your 2025 Word

Choosing your word is a process, not a one-time decision. It starts with reflection—looking back at where you’ve been and looking ahead to where you want to go. Here are the steps I follow:

Step 1: Reflect on the Past Year

Set aside some quiet time to think about the past year. You can journal, go for a walk, or just sit with a cup of tea. Ask yourself questions like:

• What have I learned this year?
• What did I struggle with?
• What am I most grateful for?
• What do I want more of next year?
• What do I want less of?
• What goals did I achieve?
• What can I celebrate?
• What were the high points of my year?
• What were the low points?

You don’t have to answer all of these questions. Sometimes one or two will stand out. Let your thoughts flow without judgment.

Step 2: Look for Patterns

As you reflect, you may notice patterns or recurring themes. Maybe your reflections highlight a desire for growth, connection, or balance. Or maybe a single word keeps coming up in your journaling.

Ask yourself:

• How do I want to show up in the next year?
• What do I want to guide me?
• How do I want to feel?
• What’s the energy I want to bring into 2025?

Step 3: Visualize Your Future Self

Close your eyes and imagine it’s December 2025. You’re looking back on the year. What do you see? How do you feel? What words come to mind? Sometimes, visualization can bring clarity that reflection alone doesn’t.

Step 4: Choose Your Word (or Words)

From your reflections and visualizations, narrow it down. Sometimes one word will stand out. Other times, you might choose two or three words that together capture your intention. There’s no wrong way to do this—it’s about what feels right for you.

This year, the words that are coming up for me are audacious, play, ease, and expansive. They speak to how I want to feel and what I want to create in 2025.

Step 5: Create Filters for Your Year

This year, I’m adding a new layer to the process. I’m drafting questions that will serve as filters for my decisions in 2025. For example:

• Does this choice feel expansive?
• Am I approaching this with ease and play?
• Is this action aligned with being audacious?

These filters will help me stay true to my intention throughout the year.

Step 6: Bring Your Word to Life

Once you’ve chosen your word, find ways to keep it visible and actionable:

• Vision Board: Incorporate your word into a vision board to inspire you daily.
• Journaling: Reflect on how your word shows up in your life each month.
• Goal Setting: Align your annual and quarterly goals with your word.
• Daily Reminders: Write your word on a sticky note, use it as a phone wallpaper, or set it as a weekly affirmation.

Why It Matters

Your word for the year is more than just a word—it’s a declaration of how you want to show up in the world. It’s a reminder to focus on what truly matters, even when life gets messy. It’s a way to anchor yourself in your values and intentions, rather than chasing arbitrary resolutions.

This process has helped me align my actions with my dreams, make braver decisions, and create a year that feels intentional and meaningful. I hope it does the same for you.

What’s Your Word?

Now it’s your turn. Take some time to reflect, and let me know—what’s your word for 2025? Share it in the comments or tag me on social media. I can’t wait to hear what’s guiding you this year!